Zhaoling is the tomb of Li Shimin (599—649), the second Tang Emperor known as Tai Zong. It is located on Jiujun Mountain in Liquan County northwest of Xi’an. Jiujun Mountain rises 1,188 metres above sea level and is flanked by undulating mountain ranges to the east and west. Occupying an imposing site, Zhaoling set a precedent for the practice of building tombs on a mountainside. Surrounded by more than 160 tombs of high-ranking court officials and generals, Zhaoling covers an area of 20,000 hectares with a circumference of 10 kilometers. The stone carving “Six Steeds at Zhaoling” is one of the best examples of Tang Dynasty sculpture. The lifelike carving represents the six horses that carried the first Tang Emperor Tai Zong to victory in the battles that brought the country under his rule. |
